Mark's Motivation - Daily Thought - 1-2-2021 through 28-2-2021

[01/02/2021, 4:01:00 AM] Mark Dickinson: Failure.

Getting affected by what you consider was a failure is very common.

I have never failed. Ever.

Providing you are willing to understand what caused things to happen in a certain way, then you are learning. Every lesson has a price.

Understanding this sets you free, knowing that I have never failed empowers me to do even greater things.

[02/02/2021, 5:39:31 AM] Mark Dickinson: Deep Thinking.

What is it?

The ability to control your thoughts and discipline your mind to focus on one thing for an extended period of time, without any distractions.

How to do it?

In the very early morning when the world is asleep sit in a relaxed pose and select a thought that comes to mind.

Follow the thought, turn it in your mind, argue for it and against it. Finally write it down.

Practice.

To begin deep thinking set aside 5 minutes with a timer. As you become more experienced you will carry an uninterrupted train of thought longer and so enter into deep thought.

You will experience euphoria, increased awareness, happiness and a sense of serenity and inner strength.

[03/02/2021, 4:08:35 AM] Mark Dickinson: Deep working.

This is very hard to achieve in today's world.

Deep work is long concentrated, uninterrupted working time, what some call, being "in the zone".

To achieve Deep Work it is useful to first do some deep thinking (see yesterday's thought).

Set aside 6 hours and resist your phone's beeps. Find a comfortable place away from your workplace and work exclusively on one thing. Having a work partner is a great help providing you agree to keep one another focused on one thing and agree to keep distractions at bay.

Deep Work allows for important, high quality performance and generally results in creative outcomes that could otherwise not be achieved.

The secret to Deep Work is savage, aggressive action against distractions.

If you are interested in knowing more, get in touch!

[04/02/2021, 4:05:30 AM] Mark Dickinson: Make every effort.

To master something takes consistent effort over time.

8,000 hours has been described as the core time requirement for mastery, that breaks down as one thousand working days, which is at least three and a half years of focused labor, assuming you do only the thing you want to master.

In other words, there are no short cuts.

Your goals must be long term and you must stay the course... then you will become a master at your desired area of accomplishment. Keep on going... no matter what!

[05/02/2021, 4:11:23 AM] Mark Dickinson: Deep Learning.

We are constantly overrun by new information. There is so much coming at us that we frequently hear new ideas that resonate, however before we have absorbed the idea, something else new comes along and obliterates that thought.

Deep Learning is about consciously filtering an idea as we hear it, writing it down, then having the temerity to write this thought each day until it has become an idea we can begin to comprehend.

Deep learning is the ability to persevere with an idea for as long as it takes until the idea becomes a part of our life. The way to do this is to keep on writing the idea each day and to build upon it by spending time in deep thinking in this topic until it becomes absorbed into our daily life

[06/02/2021, 5:53:10 AM] Mark Dickinson: Be.

Your uniqueness and authenticity lies in who you are.

Yes, work on becoming a better version of you.

Yes, grow your wisdom and understanding.

Above all, be you.

You are awesome.

Relax and enjoy being you, along with your experiences and faults and all.

Be you!

[07/02/2021, 4:21:56 AM] Mark Dickinson: Discernment.

The attractions of entertainment and online activities are overwhelming and abundant, so much so that you can easily lose track of what is important in the real world, that is, in your real world.

News, social media, tv and gaming are 4 addictions that most people are unaware that they even have.

Discernment is to be able to step away from the emotional tug of these powerful forces and sit quietly and select your own path, determine your inner desires rather than a constant rollercoaster of emotions based upon these seductive influences.

Discernment allows you to open up a gap to decide what is important to you and to choose how you will invest your time and avoid being an emotional pingpong ball between things over which you have very little, or no control.

Discernment allows you to be at peace even in turbulent times.

Start by setting aside a moment of time when you can be totally alone and undisturbed, put your phone on silent, and breathe quietly and answer your inner questions:

Am I fulfilled?

Is my spirit at peace?

Am I busy or am I focused and effective?

Have a great day!

[08/02/2021, 5:50:41 AM] Mark Dickinson: Perseverance.

Never giving up.

It doesn't mean you never fail, it doesn't mean you are perfect. It means that you are committed to keep on trying, until finally its done

If it didn't work one way, rethink, reinvent and try again... keep on creating new ways until eventually you get there

[09/02/2021, 4:02:31 AM] Mark Dickinson: The challenges that we face along the way are the lessons that we look back on and call experience.

All the stories that we tell now come from what once seemed like insurmountable obstacles.

Take the time to reflect on some of your favourite life stories and you will realise that they look a lot like what you are facing today!

Embrace the challenges and step forward with confidence... you are creating tomorrow's stories!

[10/02/2021, 6:16:33 AM] Mark Dickinson: Life is a work in progress... the more you listen and think, the better it becomes.

Some build life based upon emotions, some on logic and reason, some on a mix of 'whatever comes their way'.

The beauty in life comes when you build consistent patterns of gratitude and set aside some thinking time.

Be thankful

Be thoughtful

Life will be more pleasant

[11/02/2021, 4:25:51 AM] Mark Dickinson: Being right and doing what's right are rarely the same thing.

[12/02/2021, 7:31:14 AM] Mark Dickinson: Values

Everyone has them, but not everyone knows what theirs are.

Take time to write down 7 values, things that you believe define who you are.

Take the time to describe each one and you will discover more of who you are and understand why you do what you do.

If you wish to change your values, then create a list of desired values and spend a few moments focusing on them each morning and you will gradually move towards becoming what you value.

It is a steady process, but well worth while

[13/02/2021, 4:04:50 AM] Mark Dickinson: Friends are invaluable.

Consider those who you choose to spend time with.

Select people who reflect your values and who you care about and who care about you.

Treasure your friendship and build it up over time.

Your friends are your true wealth!

Thank you for being one of my friends 🙏

[14/02/2021, 4:23:14 AM] Mark Dickinson: Possibilities are delightful.

This is the moment when the reasoning mind and the imagination collude and conspire to create something that does not yet exist.

It is like the moment of birth, or when a small green shoot appears.

It starts so small and is driven by, "what if?"

And then gradually converts to, "Why not?"

That's the moment when greatness begins... then anything can happen...

"WHY NOT?"